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By all accounts Jay Harmon was an outstanding high school football player. In all my years of covering sports in Columbia County, he is the only freshman I can recall earning First Team All-County honors.

The former Augusta Christian standout burst onto the scene that season by rushing for nearly 600 yards and averaging 7.8 yards per carry from his fullback position. Even as a freshman, he was a big, strong kid that ran like a prep version of John Riggins.

Usually when a player is in the running to be the county’s boys basketball Player of the Year, I have a great deal of information about the player. In most cases, I had seen him play in middle school, on the summer circuit, or at least as an up-and-comer in high school.

Everyone knew Augusta Christian had a good boys basketball team this season. The Lions, coached by former county standout point guard John Harris, got off to a great start but ran into trouble during region play. They still managed to post an 18-7 regular-season record and were seeded fourth in the Upper State bracket.

Former Harlem softball star Kacee Camp received one of the highest honors an athlete can ever be given this week. At halftime of the GRU-Augusta Women’s basketball game, Camp’s No. 14 was retired by the GRU-Augusta Softball Team. Camp graduated from GRU in 2012 as one of the school’s most highly decorated student-athletes. She burst on the scene during the 2008-09 season starting all 51 games and leading the Peach Belt Conference with a .408 batting average.

Last weekend, GRU-Augusta’s baseball team traveled to Savannah for a three-game series with Armstrong Atlantic State University. Usually, this early season series would garner little attention. However, thanks to a pair of local products, the series turned into a promotional event for baseball talent in Columbia County.

GRU-Augusta took game one of the series 13-6 thanks to a huge game from former Greenbrier slugger Hunter Boose. The 6-0, 200 pound sophomore went 5 for 6 with two doubles, two runs scored, and four RBI.

Former Lakeside High School baseball standout Kody Belcher is off to an incredible start at USC Aiken this season.

It is Belcher’s first season with the Pacers after a stellar prep career for the Panthers, which included a trip to the state championship series in 2010. That season, Belcher emerged as a legitimate professional prospect as he hit .425 with six HR and 35 RBI. He also scored 42 runs and swiped 11 bases as he led Lakeside to a school-record 29 wins.

National Signing Day was this past Wednesday and several Columbia County Players signed football scholarships. The talent and athleticism in the county continues to improve and another busy signing day is proof. While next year looks to be a huge year for recruiting in the area, with Rashad Roundtree, Stephen Houzah, B.J. Raymond (all of Lakeside), Jamal Richard (Greenbrier), and Matlin Marshall (Evans) leading the way, this year’s group was solid. Here is a look at the players who signed on Wednesday.

There are several All-Area football teams that annually recognize area players.

The most exclusive team is the WJBF All-CSRA team. Unlike most all-area squads that feature first team, second team and honorable mentions, the WJBF team is simply one player for each position. That’s it.

Each year there are many terrific players who do not make the WJBF team. That is why when a player is selected for the squad it is such a big honor.

Greenbrier infielder Knox Marchman recently had the opportunity to participate in the 2014 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American Tournament.

The event was held in Tucson, Ariz. at King Sports Complex, the former spring training home of the Arizona Diamond Backs and the Chicago White Sox.

There were only three ways to be invited to this exclusive event. Players could get an invitation based on past performances at Baseball Factory Events throughout the country. They also could be recommended by a professional scout.

During the 2009-10 basketball season, the most improved player in Columbia County was a 6-2 guard from Evans named Troy Griffith. Griffith had work on his game and transformed himself from a solid role player to a go-to guy for the Knights.

That season he earned first team All-County honors after averaging 15.7 points and 3.1 assists per game. Griffith was a wing player, and although solidly built, he did most of his damage from the outside. He led the entire CSRA in three-point shooting with an impressive 52 percent mark from beyond the arc.